Tag Archive for: #hendersonvancerecreationandparksdepartment

Henderson Vance Recreation & Parks

Help The Area’s Newest Park Make A Real Splash On Thursday, July 9!

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Grab your swim gear and head over to the William & Montgomery Street Park at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 9 to take part in a fitness campaign! The newest recreation spot that features a splash pad, skate park, walking trail and fitness stations is the perfect spot to cool off from the summer heat.

It’ll be fun for all ages and a chance to check out the all the great ways to get a little exercise and have a lot of fun.

Bring your swim gear, towels and plenty of smiles to enjoy a new place in downtown Henderson to play, connect and create memories.

The park is a collaboration with the city of Henderson, Vance County and the Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Department.

Henderson Vance Recreation & Parks

TownTalk: Children Left At RCE Movie Theater

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Family members of one of the two 6-year-old boys left behind at a local movie theater following a Recreation & Parks outing have said they’ve met with recreation staff, but they’re not satisfied with answers they’ve gotten.

On June 15, about noon, RCE Movie Theater employees located the boys after the larger group had left the building following the movie; camera footage showed the group in the parking lot returning to two vans and a school bus while the two boys were walking – then running – through the halls, apparently searching for the group.

Neither child could provide a parent’s or guardian’s phone number, and the theater employees contacted the recreation and parks staff to inform them that the boys were still at the theater.

On June 22, the mother of one of the boys posted on social media that her son had informed her that day of what had happened, but she didn’t get a call from anyone from the recreation and parks department.

The boys remained at the theater for about 30 minutes until a staff member returned to pick them up.

The theater employees appeared to keep both boys comfortable, and everyone remained calm during the half hour or so that the children were separated from their group.

And, to the boys’ credit, they never ventured outside the building.

WIZS News has reached out to Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Director Kendrick Vann for a comment; we’ll update this story with more information when that happens. He did say to WIZS preliminarily, the matter is “still an ongoing investigation.”

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Henderson City Council Gives Go-Ahead To Pursue CDBG Funding For Kings Daughters Park Revitalization

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In a special called meeting, the Henderson City Council approved Friday morning to move ahead with a grant application to make significant renovations to Kings Daughters Park, including making it handicap accessible for multi-generational users.

As interim City Manager Paylor Spruill explained, this Community Development Block Grant funding is a variation that does not require housing construction; rather, it’s for neighborhood revitalization.

The meeting was called to allow for a required second public hearing on the matter. Four individuals spoke during the public hearing.

The grant also requires no match, and the initial $150,000 would be used to complete Phase 1, said Kendrick Vann, director of the Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department and assistant to the city manager.

In addition to improving the park’s accessibility, Phase 1 would also enhance the amphitheater, allowing for future concerts in the park, Vann said.

The total price tag when Phase 2 is completed, would be about $1.25 million and would include shelters and a walking trail for health and wellness.

Talks are under way to create an environmental design for the park, located at 600 W. Montgomery Street. Vann said this project fits with the focus on revitalization of the Elmwood and West End areas of the city.

Vann said the Kerr-Tar COG has been instrumental in getting paperwork for the grant completed and submitted, and with Council support, it can be completed before the looming deadline.

Vann said the project has received letters of support from a variety of community entities, including Vance County, Smart Start, FVW Opportunity, Inc. and Gateway CDC.

Spruill said to expect to hear something in early 2026.

Henderson Vance Recreation & Parks

The Local Skinny! Register For HVRPD Winter Cheerleading, Basketball Camp

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The Henderson Vance Recreation and Parks Department has a couple of registrations underway for youth interested in cheerleading and basketball and Director Kendrick Vann said those programs, along with many others, go a long way to encourage young people as they grow, hone their abilities and make new friends.

Vann said parents can register online via FaceBook or Instagram or in person at Aycock Rec Center. There are QR codes on all the printed flyers to make the registration process easy, he said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

The 2024 Winter Cheerleading registration is underway now through Sunday, Nov. 24. Registration fee is $40. The program is for young people ages 4-12.

And the preseason basketball camp will be held on Saturdays beginning on Saturday, Nov. 16 and continuing on Nov. 30 and Dec. 7.

The basketball camp is free for youth between the ages of 7 and 12 as of Jan. 1, 2025, but participants must be registered in the 2024 league. The camp will take place at Aycock Rec Center, 305 Carey Chapel Rd., Henderson.

For some youth, this may be their first experience with organized programs, and Vann said coaches and staff do a great job of including all participants.

“We will find a place for everybody to participate in this program, regardless of ability,” he said.

The cheerleading program will practice at Aycock Rec Center and will have a chance to perform for games during the week and on Saturday.

The basketball camp will hold three sessions, all of which take place before the season begins in early January.

The camp will go over “all the skills and drills,” Vann said, giving the players a chance to be in a structured environment before getting placed on a team. Javis Harvey is a new rec program supervisor and played D-1 ball at East Tennessee State University. Harvey will help with the camp and the volunteer coaches.

“The department is doing a great job of balancing out the teams through the draft process,’ Vann continued. Another new staff member, Joshua Jones, is a program specialist and Vann said he’s happy with the strength of the department’s staff these days.

In just a few weeks, Vann will celebrate 10 years as HVRPD director, and he said he is proud of the work he and staff do for the community’s youth.

“Everything’s coming together,” he said, of collaborations with high school athletic departments and other community partners. “I truly love the progress we’re making right now.”

Chances are, middle- and high school sports teams are peppered with players who got their start with a rec league team, which Vann said gets young people “prepared not only for sports, but for life.”

The increased confidence and friendships that are developed in rec league programs are important, he said. “It’s our top priority.”

Contact Recreation and Parks Director Kendrick Vann at  kendrickvann@henderson.nc.gov

or call 252.431.6093.

 

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TownTalk: Winder Street Signs To Get Special Designation To Honor Eddie Hicks

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The City of Henderson is officially honoring the late Eddie Hicks by attaching his name – literally – to the street where he grew up.

In a ceremony scheduled for Friday, Nov. 1 at 11 a.m., local leaders, dignitaries and others will gather at the corner of Garnett and Winder streets in downtown Henderson to witness the unveiling of the new Winder Street signs, which will have a second sign attached to it bearing Hicks’s name.

City Manager Terrell Blackmon gave a sneak preview to Hicks’s widow, Jackie, and others present at the October City Council meeting. Hicks died on Oct. 31, 2022 at the age of 67.

“This council took the time to take action to recognize Mr. Hicks, based on his commitment to this community,” Blackmon said in remarks during the meeting. Hicks had a long association with the Henderson Vance Recreation and Parks Department, having worked there as a teenager and during the summers when he was in college. A college football standout at ECU, Hicks returned to his hometown – and the recreation and parks department – following a successful NFL career with the New York Giants.

“We wanted to honor his name on Winder Street, where he grew up,” Blackmon said. And the city’s Public Works Department created a design that honors Hicks without having to change the street name.

The city will dedicate Winder Street to remember one of Henderson’s most beloved residents. Each street sign along Winder Street will have the second sign bearing Hicks’s name, Blackmon explained.

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Drop Off Letters To Santa At Aycock Rec Center Saturday

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Bring the kids out to Aycock Recreation Center Saturday morning for a chance to write letters to Santa and even get photos with the Jolly Old Elf himself! The Grinch will be on hand as well, but he won’t be trying to keep Christmas from coming – promise.

The Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department is hosting the free children’s event from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, according to information from Crystal Allen.

Kids can send off their letters, enjoy some holiday goodies and take part in some special craft activities.

Parents and grandparents, make sure you bring your camera to snap some photos.

Contact Allen at 252.431.6091 or crystalallen@henderson.nc.gov to learn more.

Aycock Rec Center is located at 307 Carey Chapel Road in Henderson.

The Circus Is Coming To Aycock Rec Center Wednesday

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You may feel like you’re under the Big Top when you hear Remundo Calienes welcome folks to Dusty’s All-Star Circus: It’ll probably sound something like this: “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls and children of all ages! Welcome to Dusty’s All-Star Circus!”

Now in its second year, the show features all the classics and charm of an American circus, where there are no stunt doubles and no special effects.

Dusty Sadler has put together a team of performers who create an action-packed show for the whole family to enjoy.

Aycock Rec Center is hosting two shows on Wednesday, Mar. 15. Showtimes are 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Renaldo Calienes will be there as a ringmaster of sorts, telling stories to engage the audience and to introduce each act, from gravity-defying hand balancer Ian Faraonel, to Mr. Robb, who’s sure to keep you laughing.

Calienes said the show is “purposefully marketed as a family show…perfect for all ages,” he told WIZS News in an interview.

“I am the voice of the show,” he said. “I get to be their voice and share a moment in time with these people (that) hopefully will last a lifetime.”

All the performers, from aerial acrobats to trapeze artists do their own stunts – no stunt doubles, he said. Calienes said he and all the other members of the show all grew up “wanting to run away and join the circus.”

He said he’s happy to be a part of this circus, which strives to engage and include everyone in the audience “This show gives me that traditional circus vibe,” he said, adding that having a more intimate atmosphere allows the audience to be close enough to the performance that they can read facial expressions.

“Our show is the perfect size.”

Tickets are $15 for children (ages 2-17) and $20 for adults (ages 18+). Lap children under 24 months do not require a ticket. In addition, there is a $49.99 family pack that includes tickets for two adults and up to four children. Purchase tickets early! The first 100 adult tickets sold are only $9.99 each. Both the family pack and the early 100 adult tickets are only available online, not at the door. A service convenience fee will be applied on all online purchases. Tickets are available at dustyscircus.com or by calling 1.800.756.8048.

 

Other performances will take place in Roxboro, Yanceyville and Durham on the following dates:

 

Thursday, Mar. 16

Showtimes: 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Huck Sansbury Recreation Complex

303 S. Morgan St., Annex Building

Roxboro, NC 27573

 

Friday, Mar. 17

Showtimes: 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Caswell County Recreation Center

228 County Park Rd.

Yanceyville, NC 27379

 

Wednesday, Mar. 22 and Thursday, Mar. 23

Showtimes: 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (each day)

Durham Armory

212 Foster St.

Durham, NC 27701

Aycock Pool Closed This Weekend

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If you were planning to get in a few laps at the Aycock Recreation Center pool this weekend, you’ll want to take note: the pool will be closed Saturday and Sunday, according to Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Assistant Director DeAnne Brown.

The weekend closing is due to a staffing shortage, Brown told WIZS News.

She said that there just aren’t sufficient candidates with lifeguard certifications to employ.

The recreation and parks department is willing to offer lifeguard courses for those seeking employment, Brown added, but candidates must be able to pass the prerequisites to be eligible to take the course.

Brown said she would be happy to hear from anyone interested in becoming a lifeguard. Contact her at deannebrown@henderson.nc.gov.

Britton Brings Passion For Sports To Job At HVRPD

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The Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Department has a new program specialist, according to information from assistant director Tara Goolsby.

Kevin Britton, a Durham native, joins the department and brings a love of all sports and enthusiasm for improving the community, according to a press release.

Britton said he he’s had a passion for sports and recreation since he was 8 years old through his local Boys & Girls club. He graduated from Durham High School and attended N.C. Central University on a basketball scholarship. He was a member of the 1989 Eagles national championship team.

After college, he worked for the Durham Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club, was an assistant basketball coach at the Durham School of the Arts and coached a nationally ranked Division I AAU basketball team.

In his spare time, Britton enjoys fishing and spending time with his new grandson.

HVRPD welcomes Britton to the community.

Henderson-Vance Rec and Parks Water Aerobics Schedule Change

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Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks program superintendent, informs WIZS News of a water aerobic program schedule change.

The program is intended for swimmers and non-swimmers, and will be held at 9:30 a.m. until 10:15 a.m. and from 10:40 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Water aerobics continues at Aycock Recreation Center through the month of March.

In an email, Goolsby said, “Water Aerobics is a program that uses the buoyant qualities of water to enhance physical fitness through exercises. It is a medium-impact water class designed to provide cardiovascular conditioning, improved muscle tone, and improved balance. It is a total body workout without the stress of land-based exercise.”

Classes are $1.00 for members and $2.00 for nonmembers and will be limited to 10 participants.

Gooslby indicated, “You can register at Aycock Recreation Center or online at https://hvrpd.recdesk.com/.   Masks must be worn at all times in the facility but not while in the pool.    For information, please contact Lauren Newlin at lnewlin@ci.henderson.nc.us and (252)438-3160.”